Lesson one: What's on the map? Bird's eye view on Europe
Locational Knowledge
Place Knowledge
Key questions and ideas
This lesson focuses on locational
knowledge, while simultaneously
helping to contextualize “The
Mediterranean” as a significant
region within a larger continent.
It begins to help pupils
“understand geographical
similarities and differences
through the study of human and
physical geography of a region in
a European country.”
How do we understand Europe as
a continent?
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using geographical language
and concepts to describe its
location within the wider
world?
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by understanding that it
comprises many different
countries?
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through identifying some of
its key cities, physical and
human features?
It will help pupils “locate the
world’s countries, using maps to
focus on Europe whilst
concentrating on environmental
regions, key physical and human
characteristics, countries, and
major cities.” It may also help
them “identify the position and
significance of latitude and
longitude.”
Understanding that there are
different kinds of maps, which are
used for a variety of functions.
Understanding some of the
common features of all maps
(scale, key, purpose, orientation,
title etc.)
Human and Physical
Geography
Geographical Skills and
Fieldwork
It begins to help pupils
understand “physical geography,
including climate zones,
mountains, and volcanoes.”
It will help students “interpret a
range of sources of geographical
information, including maps,
diagrams, globes, aerial
photographs”, and “use maps,
atlases, globes and
digital/computer mapping to
locate countries and describe
features studied.”
It begins to develop learners’ use
of “the eight points of a compass,
map symbols & key.”
Teaching and learning
activities
STARTER: This lesson begins
with an elicitation activity about
learners’ prior knowledge of
Europe and the Mediterranean.
MAIN ACTIVITY: The lesson then
goes on to test children’s initial
ideas by supporting their
investigations of Europe.
Using an atlas or globe; each
table group uses one way of
describing where Europe is in the
world (e.g. by using the lines on
the map, or terms like North and
South in relation to the land or
sea nearby).
Different table groups then use
specialised maps to look at:
nations; principal cities and
population centers; rivers, climate
and topography. More able
groups might also look at land
use and culture.
PLENARY: Each group identifies
key features from its map and
reports back on the four main
things that it has found out. These
are marked up on a large outline
map on the wall or interactive
whiteboard. The group also
reports back on the sort of name
it would give to its map, and what
this sort of map would be used
for. These ideas are checked
against the initial ideas from the
starter activity. Finally, pupils are
introduced to a rolling
assessment task for the whole
module.
Resources
Downloads:
Map of Europe PDF |
MSWORD
Assessment
opportunities
The elicitation activity provides
opportunities for baselining. The
plenary allows both teachers and
learners to check their learning
against the initial baseline, and to
plan together for progression.
How are things moving on? Are
there points which will need
clarifying or misunderstandings
arising?
This and the subsequent lessons
will lead up to a presentation,
using appropriate software such
as Prezi or Windows Media
Maker. This will constitute the
main final assessment task.
Lesson two: Is Europe a proper continent? Is the Mediterranean a proper sea?
Locational Knowledge
Place Knowledge
Key questions and ideas
Building on lesson one, this
lesson will further develop
learners’ locational and place
knowledge, but at a more precise
scale.
Building on lesson one, this
lesson will further develop
learners’ locational and place
knowledge, but at a more precise
scale.
Taking a ‘geography conundrums
approach’ this lesson invites
learners to think critically about
what we mean by terms such as
‘continent’, ‘sea’ etc.
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How does Europe fare as a
continent which is not a
‘contiguous land mass
surrounded by water’?
Is there one ‘Europe’, or are
there many ‘Europes’?
What is the difference
between a small sea and a
big lake?
Making sense of seas within
seas: the Tyrrhenian,
Ligurian, Adriatic, Cretan
and Aegean Seas.
Is the Black Sea a part of the
Mediterranean?
What continent is the
Mediterranean in?
Teaching and learning
activities
STARTER:
Downloads:
Students work in groups to
suggest their own definitions for
the word ‘continent’.
Statements about the
Mediterranean PDF | MSWORD
MAIN ACTIVITY:
The definitions are tested against
contradictory evidence, including
maps. Where do we ‘draw the
line’ around the continent? Do
political, relief and tectonic plate
maps suggest different answers?
Students then group a series of
statements about the
Mediterranean. Where does the
sea end? What forms a part of it,
What does it form a part of?
What does it connect to?
Students are asked to come to
some provisional conclusions,
and to offer reasons for their
choices.
PLENARY:
Human and Physical
Geography
This lesson will help students
“describe and understand key
aspects of physical geography”,
including seas, coasts, and
continental plates.
Geographical Skills and
Fieldwork
This lesson will further develop
skills for mapworking, enquiry,
research and critical thinking,
including using and interpreting “a
range of sources of geographical
information.”
It will explore, test and develop
learners’ use of geographical
terminology.
Resources
Children offer their ideas and
arguments, and key features are
marked on the map of Europe.
Assessment
opportunities
The plenary allows both teachers
and learners to check their
learning against their initial
baseline, and to plan together for
progression. How are things
moving on? Are there points
which still need clarifying?
The two activities offer
opportunities for the teacher to
review students’ appropriate use
of geographical language, their
understanding of concepts such
as scale, their ability to offer and
substantiate reasoned arguments.
This and the subsequent lessons
will add to a presentation, using
appropriate software such as
Prezi or Windows Media Maker.
This will constitute the main final
assessment task.
Lesson three: What’s so special about the Mediterranean?
Locational Knowledge
Place Knowledge
This lesson will help pupils “locate
the world’s countries, using maps
to focus on Europe, concentrating
on environmental regions, key
physical and human
characteristics, countries, and
major cities.”
It contributes to an understanding
of “geographical similarities and
differences through the study of
human and physical geography of
a region in a European country.”
Key questions and ideas
This lesson takes the form of a
research project into how
landscape and climate have
affected this region, past and
present: the linkages between
human and physical processes.
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Human and Physical
Geography
Geographical Skills and
Fieldwork
This lesson will help students
understand the interdependence
of natural and human processes
in the context of Europe, and to
“describe and understand key
aspects of: physical geography,
including: climate zones, biomes
and vegetation belts, rivers,
mountains … and the water cycle;
human geography, including:
types of settlement and land use,
economic activity including trade
links, and the distribution of
natural resources including
energy, food, minerals and
water.”
This lesson will contribute to skills
for mapworking and enquiry,
including using and interpreting “a
range of sources of geographical
information.”
Why is the region so
significant? What is
exceptional about it?
What are some of its human
and natural wonders?
What connections do we or
our families have
connections to the region
(e.g. though family
members, work or holidays)?
What can these personal
experiences contribute to
our learning?
Teaching and learning
activities
STARTER:
If a bottle came through the
Straits of Gibraltar into the
Mediterranean Sea, where might
it go? The lesson begins with a
brief look at the main circulation
currents.
MAIN ACTIVITY:
Table groups research different
countries, following the flow of
currents from East to West. Each
looks at six main themes:
economy, culture, environment,
people, and the influence of the
Mediterranean, the future. To do
this, they research tourism,
environmental and news sites,
encyclopedias, and carry out a
search on images. They use a
writing frame to create a message
in a bottle for their country.
PLENARY:
In turn, starting with Greece,
tables add their messages to the
bottle. Using ‘silent debate’, they
compare and contrast all the
messages in the bottle.
Discussion: Why are these
countries similar or different? (e.g.
which countries rely heavily on
the Mediterranean Sea for their
economy? Which rely on the
climate? Why?) The lesson ends
by looking at the questions about
the region’s future. This theme is
then picked up within the final
three units.
Resources
Downloads:
My message in a bottle
PDF | MSWORD
Assessment
opportunities
The messages in the bottle
provide opportunities for extended
writing.
The ‘silent debate’ also allows the
teacher to review the comments
and questions that pupils are
generating.
Together, the six lessons will add
to a presentation, using
appropriate software such as
Prezi or Windows Media Maker.
This constitutes the main final
assessment task.
Lesson four: Zoom in on Italy – a country of cities and regions?
Locational Knowledge
Location of Italy
concentrating on the
environmental regions, key
physical and human
characteristics and major
cities
Place Knowledge
Key questions and ideas
Investigation into the political
influences on a place divided
by regions
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Understanding of
geographical similarities and
differences through the study
of physical geography of a
region of the United Kingdom
and a region in Italy
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What are the physical
features of Italy?
Why is Italy a
Mediterranean country?
What is a region?
Why might country be
divided into regions?
Is Italy the only European
country divided into
regions?
What does a regional
map of Italy look like?
What are the differences
between Italian regions?
What is a ‘capoluogo?’
What are the special
features of the following
cities: Rome, Venice,
Naples, Palermo, Milan,
Aosta and Florence
Where, in Italy, on the
map, can we find these
cities?
How do these cities
compare to cities in the
UK?
Teaching and learning
activities
STARTER:
Locating Italy on a European
map and defining it as a
Mediterranean country
Exploring the physical
features of Italy – climate,
landscape, defining it as a
Peninsula Country
MAIN ACTIVITY:
Macro to Micro approach –
enquiring into the regions of
Italy and the implications of
these regions
Comparison to other
European and world countries
Research into seven of Italy’s
principal cities (the
capoluogi).
PLENARY:
Sharing of the students’
research.
Comparison of the regions of
Italy to the UK.
Human and Physical
Geography
Understanding of what makes a
region
Physical geography, including:
climate zones, rivers, mountains,
volcanoes and earthquakes
Human geography including:
types of settlement and land use
and economic activity
Geographical Skills and
Fieldwork
Mapwork – locating features
and making comparisons to
the UK
Resources
Downloads:
Factsheet for Aosta
PDF | MSWORD
Factsheet for Florence
PDF | MSWORD
Factsheet for Milan
PDF | MSWORD
Factsheet for Naples
PDF | MSWORD
Factsheet for Palermo
PDF | MSWORD
Factsheet for Rome
PDF | MSWORD
Factsheet for Venice
PDF | MSWORD
Images of Aosta (PPT)
Images of Florence(PPT)
Images of Milan (PPT)
Images of Naples (PPT)
Images of Palermo (PPT)
Images of Rome (PPT)
Images of Venice (PPT)
Assessment
opportunities
Identification of physical features
of Italy
Research skills relating to the
cities in Italy
Together, the six lessons will add
to a presentation, using
appropriate software such as
Prezi or Windows Media Maker.
This constitutes the main final
assessment task.
Lesson five: Zoom in on Bologna and the Bolognese – City of food, city of education
Locational Knowledge
Place Knowledge
Students will name and locate
a city in Italy and identify its
location and physical
characteristics.
Students will consider
Bologna’s location from the
physical perspective: hills,
rivers and position on top of a
fault line.
Key questions and ideas
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Human and Physical
Geography
Geographical Skills and
Fieldwork
Students will study the human
and physical features of Bologna
and begin to recognize the
differences between these two
types of geography and how they
impact on the economic
development of Bologna.
Students will use maps, atlases
and globes to further their
knowledge of Bologna’s location.
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How has Bologna
changed over time?
What is traditionally
associated with Bologna?
(beyond stereotypes Spaghetti Bolognese, for
example, is not an Italian
dish!)
How can Bologna and its
hills be seen as a place
of contrasts?
Why is Bologna the
capital city of the Emilia
Romagna region?
What is meant by a
historic city- what
evidence is there that
Bologna was an
Etruscan, Roman and
Medieval City?
Bologna as a city of
culture (Bologna is a
UNESCO Heritage site
for music, which
suggests a curricular link
and exploration of how
we define culture)
Bologna as a tourist city
In what ways is Bologna
similar to the place we
(the pupils) live?
Hopes and challenges.
What does the future
hold for this ancient city?
What are the threats to
Bologna as a city?
(Focus on Earthquakes).
Teaching and learning
activities
STARTER:
Using Google Earth, focus on
the location of Emilia
Romagna as a region,
zooming in to Bologna.
Resources
Downloads:
Factsheet on Bologna
MSWORD | PDF
Images of Bologna
(PPT)
Introduction of key facts about
Bologna in terms of
population, climate, physical
features in comparison to
students’ own city
MAIN ACTIVITY:
Introduction of an enquiry
cycle and the success criteria
of the enquiry
Group exploration about one
of the key questions or ideas.
Students then regroup to
share their findings making
one PowerPoint or Prezi to
summarize their
understanding
PLENARY:
Students will complete a PMI,
summarizing what is positive
about the city of Bologna, any
negative features to the city,
and the interesting features of
the city.
Assessment
opportunities
Formal marking of the student’s
presentation alongside the
success criteria set out in the
main activity.
Together, the six lessons will add
to a presentation, using
appropriate software such as
Prezi or Windows Media Maker.
This constitutes the main final
assessment task.
Lesson Six: Everyday life of Bologna
Locational Knowledge
ocation of Bologna as a city
and the location of the four
students’ homes and their
school in comparison to the
heart of Bologna’s City.
Place Knowledge
Understanding micro scales –
localities with the city of
Bologna.
Key questions and ideas
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Locating typical holiday and
weekend destinations for the
four students.
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Human and Physical
Geography
Identification of the impacts of
physical geography on these
students’ human geography
compared to the physical
geography of the UK
Geographical Skills and
Fieldwork
Students can conduct
fieldwork in their locality to
create their own locational
diary to share with others –
what would be important to
include?
What are the yearly
activities like for these
students?
What is similar and
different between a
typical year in Italy and
one in the UK?
What might be the
geographical reasons for
these similarities and
differences?
What is a typical week for
these children?
What similarities can you
find between the four
children?
How does one of the
student’s weeks compare
to yours?
Why might our daily
routines be similar and
different?
Can we say that all Italian
children lead lives like
this? (Discussion of the
dangers of stereotyping)
Teaching and learning
activities
STARTER:
Revision of Lesson Five and
location of Bologna
Introduction to the four
students from Bologna.
Focus on their typical yearly
calendar
MAIN ACTIVITY:
Consideration of how the daily
lives of these children is
affected by the fact they live
in a Mediterranean country –
how does the geographical
position of these students
affect their daily life? (For
instance, they eat different
foods because of where they
live, the children go to bed at
very different times because
of the climate, their weekend
activities reflect the climate
they live in)
PLENARY:
Zoom back out from this local
scale, step by step, to review
what children have learned,
through all six sessions
Resources
Downloads:
Meet the Children (PPT)
My Typical week: Cesares
PDF | MSWORD
My Typical week: Emily
PDF | MSWORD
My Typical week: Francescas
PDF | MSWORD
My Typical week: Richard
PDF | MSWORD
Children’s calendar: Cesares
PDF | MSWORD
Children’s calendar: Emily
PDF | MSWORD
Children’s calendar: Francescas
PDF | MSWORD
Children’s calendar: Richard
PDF | MSWORD
My Typical Week Blank
Worksheet
PDF | MSWORD
Tour of School MP4
Assessment
opportunities
Reading comprehension and
inference questions based on
the four student diaries
Completion of the
presentation as final
assessment task.